Graffiti crew of 3 cleans up west side over the summer

Federal grant hires young people to paint over gang symbols.

Federal grant hires young people to paint over gang symbols.

June 23, 2006|MAY LEE JOHNSON Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND -- Decked out in bright lime-green shirts, the graffiti crew is on the job. Wielding their brushes up and down, stroke after stroke, they carefully cover the gang symbols on the wall. "Paint over the black," team leader Steven Bethel Jr. said as he helped crew mates Christopher Johnson, 19, and LeVelle Sanders, 20, high school graduates. They were putting gray primer over spray-painted words on the cinder-block bridge wall at Meade Street where it dead-ends. While many of their friends continue looking for a job, these three young men are on the move in Bethel's white Blazer as they tackle any kind of graffiti on houses, garages, stores and other South Bend buildings. "I love my job," said Bethel, 19. "It feels great because I feel like we're doing something to clean up our community." The crew works for the city's Weed and Seed program. This is a federally sponsored, community-based program whose purpose is to "weed out" negatives and "seed in" positive influences in local neighborhoods. Program coordinator Mark Dollinger said, "The Weed and Seed Alliance received a grant this year from the Department of Justice that allowed us to hire these young men. ... By them working and by removing the graffiti, they help put pride back in the community and also fulfill one of the goals of the program." The young men are working primarily on South Bend's west side. "What I enjoy most about my job is helping the elderly," Johnson said. "When we finish any type of work like (removing) graffiti on their garage or house, they really appreciate it. That makes this work all the more worthwhile." The crew works on about 18 sites each week, freeing them of graffiti. They expect to work until sometime in September. "I enjoy working," Sanders said. "It helps me stay out of trouble."Staff writer May Lee Johnson: mjohnson@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6326